The Hunger Games---The Rebellion
by Strigon111
Summary: What happens before, during, and after the events of the District 8 uprising? Follow the story of David Freeman, a man fighting for something bigger than himself. Follow him to District 2, and into the Capitol. Rated T for violence.


Chapter 1-The Plan

District 8's industrial buildings coughed out smoke into the pale blue sky. Factory workers filtered into the buildings, ready for another day's work. But David Freeman had something else in store for him.  
When no one was watching, David slipped behind one of the machines. He bent down, and slid his fingers under the floorboard. He gave the floorboard a light pull, and it came loose. He levered it upward, creating a small space for him to squeeze through. He lowered himself through the gap into a dimly lit room. In the room sat four other men, dressed in the same rugged attire.  
"What took you so long?" One of the men whispered.  
David lowered the floorboard back into place before mumbling, "Carlus passed by. I pretended to check the machinery for repairs."  
"That guy shows up way too often." The same man grumbled.  
"Alright, back to business." One of the men said. 47 year old James Magnus, the oldest of them. He had a white jacket on, but the whiteness had been stained from years of grease and grime. "We need to step up our timetable. How's the work in the north factories?"  
"The people there have the fight in them, but they don't look like they can take much of a beating. What men there are among them are weak." Manuel Arnie answered.  
"What of those in the South factories?" James continued, pressing his fingers to his forehead.  
"Well, the factory workers have spent most of their lives doing hard work. In numbers, they should overpower the Peacekeepers."  
"Excellent, excellent. What about those in the East and West area? The schools?"  
Kevin and Wally nodded their heads in unison. One of them said, "Women and children, mostly. But they're all sick of the Capitol, and they'll easily fight. Like David said. In numbers, they may stand a chance."  
"We'll be putting them in danger..." Manuel murmurred.  
"We don't have a choice. Now's the moment. With the Hunger Games dispute going on. The Capitol's busy trying to hold the other districts down." David said.  
"Wally here said that the Capitol is focusing its forces on District 11 and 10. The people in District 11 are more...volatile, according to Wally's source."  
Wally, who sat on a wooden stool, nodded to confirm what was said.  
"Well, then, I suppose we have the basis of the uprising in place. What we need is a time and a place. Any ideas?" James began.  
"The Victory Tour!" David spoke up. "It's mandatory for everyone to participate. It can be..a rehearsal of some sort. We can have everyone get in their position."  
"That's a good idea. But what about the real deal?" Wally asked.  
"When the victors reach the Capitol, there'll be a public screening for an interview, right? That means that everyone will be in the same position. That could be it." David continued. "We could target the Armoury, the Peacekeepers' headquarters, the Justice Building, and the Communications Center."  
James scratched at his stubble, weighing the odds. Then, he straightened his back.  
"Right, then let this be an official declaration of a rebellion. No signing of papers. No big ticket officials as witness. Just us in a run down basement. Five men fighting for justice."  
David, Wally, Manuel, Kevin echoed, "For justice."

Chapter 2-The Rehearsal

David squirmed his way through the crowd. His position was directly in front of the screen. He was in charge of being the starting signal. But not today. Their thrist for the Peacekeepers' blood would have to be quenched at a later date. Today, they would have to make sure their plan would be flawless. The crowd at David's area would be in charge of taking the Armoury. One of the places where the Peacekeepers would be keeping more than one watchful eye over.  
The Capitol Anthem played over four massive speakers in the surrounding area. After that, the screen came to life, showing the two victors in all their glory. David had paid particularly more attention to the 74th Games, as it was District 12 that won. But today, David paid attention not to the massive screen, but to where the Peacekeepers stood. Peacekeepers tend to stay in the same positions in all public events with large numbers of people. There were two on the rooftop nearby, and four near the big screen. There were five surrounding the platform where the screen stood. Some of the Peacekeepers carried automatic weapons, but three or four carried pistols and nightsticks. The key was to overwhelm those Peacekeepers first, and obtain their weapons. David had it all planned out in his head. It could work, he thought.  
For the rest of the night, David placed his attention on the Victory Tour's screening. Watching the victors give a speech that he knew was planned. Time passed, and soon it was time to head back to their homes. David found his wife, Carla, and his son, Danny, and led them back home.  
As the night was the night of the Victory Tour, the people were given slightly more food. It wasn't much. But to the people of District 8, who had starved all their life, it was something. But soon, they would bite the hand that fed them. What did it matter? The hand that fed them was also the hand that hit them. That thought was enough to ruin anyone's appetite. But they would need every ounce of strength for the upcoming rebellion. So they swallowed every grain of rice. Every crumb of stale bread. Every drop of water.  
David sat beside his son as he slept. In a few days time, he would be risking his life for something bigger than himself. There was a large chance he would never see his son and his wife again.  
David pushed the thoughts out of his head. If he had to die so his family could lead a better life, then so be it.  
His wife came over and sat next to him, brushing Danny's hair. David grabbed her by the shoulders, spun her around, and said, "When it starts, you must come back here immediatelly. Don't stay in the open."  
"We will. But...what will happen to _you_?" Carla asked.  
"I-I don't know." David stuttered.  
"Promise me you will come back. No matter what happens. No matter whose blood you have on your hands."  
David looked her in the eyes, and promised. He knew that the promise would be hollow.

Chapter 3-The Uprising

This was it. The day of all days. In his thirty-two years of existance, David Freeman never thought he would be part of something like this. He had dreams. But dreams could be forgotten in a sea of other problems. This was real.  
David clutched a bandana in his hand. He stuffed it into his right pocket. Eight o'clock. That was the appointed time. David glanced at his watch. It was seven-thirty one now. Twenty nine more minutes. In his left pocket, David had a sharpened screwdriver. His fellow rebels, who stood apparently neutral in the crowd, had prepared their own makeshift weapons. Some had brought along kitchen utensils like butcher knives. Those they hid carefully in their jackets.  
Time ticked by, and David realized he was gnawing at his nails. He took a deep breath, and decided to watch the screening instead. He was standing the same position. Right in front of the massive screen which played a live telecast of the interview. Dashing and charming Peeta Mellark stood on stage laughing and chatting with Caesar Flickerman. Next came Katniss Everdeen. The more confusing of the two. But also the more skilled. David wondered if she knew that she was the one that initiated the plan of rebellion. Of course she did. When she held out the poisonous berries, it was to defy the Capitol. It was only when David asked himself this question, did the other possibilities come to mind. David shook his head clear of those thoughts. He had no room for mistake or hesitation now. Now on screen, something out of the ordinary happened. Peeta Mellark dropped to one knee, and proposed to Katniss Everdeen. People all around Panem gasped. Some were true, some were faked. But David didn't even gasp. His heart was racing. Two minutes left until eight o'clock.  
Tick...tock...tick...tock. The minute hand was at fifty-nine. David wished it would stay that way forever. He couldn't do it. He couldn't leave his wife and son behind, should he be killed. Or could he?  
David had no time to answer the question. The minute hand ticked forward to number 12. It was time.  
"LIBERTY BEFORE DEATH!" David yelled.  
The people around him knew the signal. They echoed his cry, and put on their masks. David wrapped his face with the black bandana, and pulled out his screwdriver. He charged forward, toward the Peacekeepers who were shocked and paralyzed with fear.  
David aimed for the Peacekeeper who had a pistol in his hands. The Peacekeeper noticed David, and tugged at his pistol which sat in its holster. But it was too late. David reached the Peacekeeper, and rammed his screwdriver into his neck. Blood spewed out onto David's face as the Peacekeeper's eyes rolled into his head. Both of them tumbled to the ground.  
David reached for the Peacekeeper's pistol, which had fallen onto the ground. He cocked the gun, and aimed for the nearest Peacekeeper. And pulled the trigger. The Peacekeeper fell to the ground, a hole through his face guard and his skull.  
David sprinted to the Peacekeeper's body, before the crowd turned mob swarmed it. He reached for the Peacekeeper's weapon. It was a square-shaped sub-machinegun, no longer than his arm. The magazine rested on the top of the gun, giving it an odd shape. David thought he knew the gun's name.  
Turning around, David realized the other Peacekeepers were overwhelmed and killed already. Those on the rooftops began firing into the crowd. David shouldered his weapon, and aimed up. His bullets peppered the Peacekeepers who stood near the edge. The white-armored bodies fell down, along with their weapons, which the mob cared about the most. David stood on the stage, and waved for those who had guns.  
"Follow me! We need to take over the Armoury!" He rallied.  
There were five guys who went to David. Three had the same sub-machinegun that David had, and the other two had pistols. David pulled his pistol out and handed it to a passerby.  
"The Armoury is that way. It's bound to be guarded. But time is of the essence. The longer the takedown takes the more Peacekeepers we have to face."  
David's men nodded. They understood the situation.  
"Come on! We've got no time to lose!"  
The six man team sprinted along alleyways until they reached the Armoury. David was right. Unfortunately. It was heavily guarded. There were fifteen Peacekeepers at the main entrance. There were five on the catwalk. There would be lots more inside.  
"I'll spray the catwalk. The two of you," David pointed to two men with sub-machineguns, "The two of you, shoot at the Peacekeepers who pursue me. If we're lucky, we can get some of them before they get to cover. The rest of you, watch our backs."  
David inched into his position, which was safely away from his main group. The five Peacekeepers on the catwalk carried assault rifles. But they looked different from what David had seen. The bullet cartridge was behind the grip. But he had no time to ponder about the Capitol's weapons. He brought his weapon up, took a deep breath, and fired.  
Bullets tore through the cold night air, hitting the Peacekeepers on the catwalk. The Peacekeepers at the entrance brought their weapons to their shoulders, and started towards where David had opened fire from. Big mistake. David's men open fire, and tore the Peacekeepers down. Two Peacekeepers had survived, and started to run back to the Armoury entrance, only to be mowed down by David's men.  
"Good job! But this isn't over yet! Keep going!" David yelled. He dropped his sub-machinegun, and picked up one of the oddly-shaped assault rifles on the ground. He pulled the cocking-handle back. He made sure to pick up some spare magazines. He waved his men over to the entrance.  
David risked a quick peek inside. In that half a second gap, David identified three white helmets in the hallway. The Peacekeepers probably had their weapons pointed in that way. Then David found another way. He moved over to one of the dead Peacekeepers, and searched through his vest. Moonlight illuminated the area, making it easier for David to see. His hands wrapped around a ball-like object. He pulled his hand out, along with a Fragmentation Grenade.  
David scooched over to the side of the entrance, where his...his squad? Could he call them his squad? They had followed his directions well and accomplished the tasks they were given. Maybe they were his squad. A squad of textile workers fighting for what was right. David's squad was waiting there for his directions. David held up the grenade, signifying his intentions. His "squad" nodded their heads. David pulled the pin on the grenade back, and tossed it into the hallway. He heard the _bink, bink, bink_ sound of the grenade hitting the floor. Then, the loud _BOOM_ of an explosion. The fire alarm in the Armoury went off, and water sprinklers were activated. Peering through the smoke and dust, David could make out the Peacekeepers' mutilated bodies lying in the hallway.  
They had liberated the Armoury. Now the rebels could really stand a chance. David scrambled up a ladder, and on to the catwalk where the Peacekeepers he shot earlier lay. David had with him a illumination flare. He lit the flare, and placed it on the catwalk. The flare let out a long puff of red smoke and light. This would signify a completed objective. David looked into the night, and saw two more of such flares. That would be the Communications Center and the Peacekeepers' headquarters. Then, a third stream of smoke appeared. They did it. They had control of the Justice Building. David felt something new in his veins. A sense of freedom. 


End file.
